2009 GMC Acadia- I need help!

[Loves2sing]

My parents just bought a new vehicle. They bought a 2009 GMC Acadia. We are going on a road trip with them in the summer. I am just trying to plan out carseats in it. We will have 4 adults and 2 kids in seats, one RF, one FF. We would like to put the adults in the middle row captian's seats, and the kids in the back.

Problem is there is only one tether anchor in the 3rd row, and it's apparantly in the middle. So my question is, will I be able to fit a Radian and a Marathon puzzled beside each other back there? Or should I put M in the RFing MA, tethered to the captian seat in front of it, and then put J outboard in the Radian, trusting in the fact that it *should* be okay not tethered?

Does anyone have experience with this vehicle? What would you do?

 

[Guest]

WHy are the kids going in the back? Convenience (like the back seats being uncomfy for adults)?

 

[Loves2sing]

More convienence than anything. We are driving from Calgary AB, to Carlsbad CA. It's a long drive where we would all like to be as comfortable as possible. I know they aren't in the safeST positions, but if my mom and I are uncomfortable for 30 hours of driving, it could be more dangerous, if you KWIM.

That being said, I am trying to figure out if I can get them both back there safely, if not, the I guess I will be in the back.

 

[Guest]

Holy crow that's a long drive! I hope you can get it to work cuz yeah, I can see a murderous rampage happening if everyone isn't as comfortable as possible.

 

[capeKO71]

I have a 2007 Saturn outlook - which is the same car...

From the '09 latch book, it looks to be the same a my saturn...

I think they will puzzle together ok in the back (I've done radian, marathon, and something else I forget... three in a row... all ff). BUT - the radian will most likely have to go outboard behind the passenger - due to the belt stocks. On the driver outboard 3rd row, the belt stocks are on a tether, and sort of long (due to the detachable seatbelt in the center position)
Be warned - Radians are a PITA to install with belts in this car, I would actually put the Radian in a captains seat... with latch (either forward or rear facing).

 

[lovinwaves]

Member Jen_nah might be able to help you as well. You might try shooting her a pm with a link to this thread.

 

[snowbird25ca]

I'd put the Radian in one of the captain's chairs truth be told, if not both of the kids. Both of the captain's chairs adjust forward, and the 3rd row is quite spacious. Have the adults sit outboard in the 3rd row and they should be fine in terms of comfort. It has side curtain airbags along the whole vehicle and a 5* side impact safety rating so I'd have no concerns about adults in the 3rd row.

The last time I tried the Radian was not compatible ff'ing in the center of the 3rd row in my Outlook. (Identical as pp mentioned.) I got close to having the seat tight enough, but width wise the radian just doesn't sit right. The center position is kind of inset slightly, and the radian is wide enough that it doesn't fit in the center, but narrow enough that it kind of goes on top on one side and forward on the other. Ff'ing MA does fit perfectly fine in that position though and goes in very easily, so if you're going to put a seat in the 3rd row, I'd do ff'ing MA in the center - it's just it would leave it pretty squishy for an outboard passenger to sit beside...

A rf'ing seat in the 3rd row is going to be tight while still allowing the 2nd row passengers to have space for their legs. Center 3rd row might actually be the only place a rf'ing seat would fit without interfering with the 2nd row passengers' comfort.

So to sum it all up, I'd put the kids in seats in the captain's chairs - or at least one of them - and then adults in the 3rd row. You could always do the Radian ff'ing on one side with the captain chair pulled all the way forward, then try rf'ing MA behind it. I never tried my MA in that position so it's worth a try. Also just a reminder that the 2nd row seating positions have to be reclined when installing seats with LATCH or when a ff'ing seat is installed. :thumbsup:


eta: The more I think about it, the more I think the way to try is ff'ing radian in a captain with the rf'ing MA outboard 3rd row bench directly behind the Radian, and then slide the captain's chair all the way forward. If it fits, that will probably be most flexibility in terms of comfort for everyone and loading/unloading. I wouldn't be comfortable with the ff'ing seat untethered.

 

[Loves2sing]

Thanks for your help guys!

It is nice to know in advance that I may have issues with the Radian. Which may mean I will have to borrow my sister's ma, and can use my Radian for the 2 weeks. Either that or I will have my bff (CNDTech) come over when we get to town to install the Radian, as she LOVES a challenge. lol

Is the Radian a pain to install RFing with the belt as well?

 

[jen_nah]

Trudy have you tried installing the Radian rf'ing in your Outlook?

I am wondering if the OP could install the MA ff'ing center & then the RN outboard rf'ing if that would work for her? I know the MA being on a base tend to do better with long belt stalks like the Acadia/Outlook has in the center.

I just can not imagine being in the 3rd row for that long of a trip and also a hassle to get in any out crawling over the kids car seats.

 

[snowbird25ca]

Trudy have you tried installing the Radian rf'ing in your Outlook?

I am wondering if the OP could install the MA ff'ing center & then the RN outboard rf'ing if that would work for her? I know the MA being on a base tend to do better with long belt stalks like the Acadia/Outlook has in the center.

I just can not imagine being in the 3rd row for that long of a trip and also a hassle to get in any out crawling over the kids car seats.

No, I didn't try the radian rf'ing outboard in the 3rd row, but I'd hazard a guess it wouldn't fit in terms of front to back space without having the 2nd row passenger really cramped for room.

The MA installs easily ff'ing in the center of the 3rd row. The shell is narrow enough that it fits right between the contours. I have a pic of the center position:

The Radian just doesn't fit perfectly between those contours. I was able to get the seat rock solid side to side and acceptable front to back (maybe 1/4"?) but was not happy with the amount of the seat that was touching the vehicle seatback... you can't see perfectly in this picture, but it gives you an idea of how the edge of the seat was supported on the one side and behind that was just empty space.

I haven't tried it again since that time, but I just really wasn't happy with the way the seat fit back there - and it seemed to largely be a seat contouring problem. The MA install there was a complete breeze.

I really think ff'ing Radian with the rf'ing MA in the seat directly behind is going to be best bet - though admittedly I never tried to install the MA rf'ing back there.. but I wouldn't anticipate problems from an install point. With one of the captain's chairs able to be flipped forward, it'll be easy to get in the 3rd row, and the 3rd row has decent leg room. If the 2nd row captain chair is moved slightly forward than 2nd and 3rd row leg room should be pretty much equal. I really don't see a rf'ing seat working in the 3rd row without having the 2nd row captain's chair forward - though maybe if that 2nd row is upright that would change things. My 2nd row had been reclined at the time I tried buckling an extra seat in for transport. I don't' remember if it was the snugride or the SS1 now, but I could barely get the carrier snapped on to the base...

eta: Looking through the few pic's I have now I'm doubting a little why I was unhappy with it. I just know my gut instinct was that it wasn't ok there. It's been well over a year since I had it in there though... maybe it's worth another try. If I can convince myself to bring it out of storage in the basement.

eta again. Here's a pic from the back which gives an idea of how the seat sat in relation to the contours too. So it was over top on one edge and inside on the other. And no amount of trying to change the install is going to fix that.. it's just the width of the radian shell in relation to the contours in the seat. It's possible others would have a different comfort level with it than I did though.